From the time of Boudicca to the Boris Bike, in a sprawling metropolis covering 600 square miles – a city where eight million Londoners speak 300 different languages – it’s only right to expect places which are unexplained, unusual or just plain odd. Here are 10 of our favourites:

London Hydraulic Power Company
For more than 100 years the turbines here sent pressurised water through 200 miles of pipes all over London to power hotel lifts, theatre curtains and even dockyard cranes. One of the turbines has now been transformed into a restaurant and art gallery called The Wapping Project.

Kensal Green Cemetery
This Victorian cemetery with its huge elaborate tombs and beautiful landscaping is the final resting place of Thackeray, Trollope, Brunel and the great showman Blondin. Also two of George III’s children, Princess Sophia and Augustus, Duke of Sussex, were laid to rest here.

Fortnum & Mason
Far from the Highlands, the so-called Scotch Egg was actually invented in 1738 by upmarket grocers Fortnum & Mason. The store also sold Britain’s first-ever baked beans (after buying H.J.Heinz’s entire stock in 1866) and silver-plated ‘sporks’ – a combined spoon and fork – for soldiers to use in the trenches.

Dans Le Noir
The great Victorian engineer Marc Brunel once held a banquet under the River Thames to show his tunnel was safe (it wasn’t and flooded soon afterwards) and in 1843 several stonemasons had supper at the top of Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Square. Today, the Dans Le Noir restaurant offers guests the chance to eat in total darkness, allowing the food’s taste and texture to be appreciated without distraction.

Burlington Arcade
Opened in 1819, Burlington Arcade is one of London’s oldest shopping centres. Uniformed beadles are still on hand to enforce an old bylaw forbidding visitors to run, sing, whistle or open their umbrellas.

Christchurch Greyfriars
The converted tower of a ruined Christopher Wren is London’s tallest house, with three bedrooms spread over 11 storeys. Christchurch Greyfriars Garden – open to the public and free to enter – is the burial place of no fewer than three queens.

Cabinet War Rooms
Winston Churchill’s wartime bunker is just a tiny portion of a vast, top secret government complex hidden under Whitehall. In the 1930s, more than six acres of bomb-proof offices were excavated beneath ministry buildings, shielded by a 17’ layer of concrete which can still be seen from the road outside. Visitors can explore this wartime bunker at the Churchill War Rooms.

The Mason’s Arms
This Central London pub was where condemned prisoners could enjoy a last pint free of charge on their way to the gallows at Tyburn. On hanging days it was traditional to deal with highwaymen first, as the ‘aristocrats of crime’, then common thieves and finally anyone convicted of treason. The gallows are long gone but the pub is still said to be haunted by at least one of the poor unfortunates. Enjoy a drink at the pub at 51 Upper Berkeley Street, W1.

The Travellers’ Club
Unique among London’s traditionally secretive gentleman’s clubs, The Travellers’ Club offers occasional guided tours for the public. It was founded in 1819 when new members were required to have travelled at least 500 miles from London.

Berry Bros. & Rudd
This 17th-century wine merchants is a veritable museum of viniculture, and is still family-run after more than 300 years. Giant leather-bound ledgers contain the personal details of distinguished customers. Not just Byron, Beau Brummell and George IV but Frenchmen too, including King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III.

February is approaching fast, and for those of you in a couple and looking to impress, so is the decision of what to do for Valentine’s Day. It can be a great excuse to do something special that you’ll remember – forget roses and cheesy piano music, why not go to a venue that is memorable (even if your companion isn’t)?

Sarastro
Opulent Sarastro packs the romance and gusto of opera into its gold and red interior, crammed with curious objects. Dine below ten opera boxes in differing styles, along with brash, erotic artwork and regular singing performances. Situated on Drury Lane in the heart of theatre land, Sarastro is a popular pre-theatre dining spot. The food has a Mediterranean theme and there’s a three-course Valentine’s menu for £35 a head.

Evans and Peel
Dates should be fun, and the entrance to cocktail bar Evans and Peel demands a level of imagination. It is set up like a detective agency, and guests must state their ‘case’ before being allowed to enter. If successful, you’ll be directed into a 1920s speakeasy bar, with old fashioned cocktails (watch out, they’re strong) and American diner food like mac ‘n’ cheese.

Dans le Noir?
Tucked away in an unassuming Clerkenwell location, this French-inspired restaurant has a unique setup. You eat in pitch blackness, guided by blind waiters. Talking to a companion without being able to see them is a strange and liberating experience, and you also don’t know what you’ve eaten until after the meal. Before you enter Dans le Noir’s darkness, you select for the vegetarian, meat, fish or ‘surprise’ menu. The later will appeal to the adventurous – it included zebra and shark when I visited.

Garlic and Shots
The name says it all – Garlic and Shots in Soho is dedicated to the white pungent bulb, as well as over 100 vodka shots. If your date likes garlic (it’s supposed to be an aphrodisiac) this should be a winner. All the dishes, and bizarrely some of the drinks, contain garlic, and the décor is an eclectic mixture of American bar with influences from the restaurant’s Swedish founders.

Inamo
Oriental fusion restaurant Inamo has two branches in London and some very tasty food, but that’s not why visitors come. The main draw is its e-table ordering system, which lets you scroll through images of food and view them on your plate before ordering from your table. You can also play games like battleships, switch between virtual tablecloths and watch the chefs working in real time with the ‘Chefcam’ function. A Valentine’s menu of four courses costs £35 per person.

Circus
A theatrical evening is guaranteed at Circus, the bar which doubles as a cabaret venue. It’s worth arriving early before a meal and staying late, to catch as many of the daring entertainment acts as you can – they range from acrobats to fire-breathers and dancers, and sometimes perform on the table in front of you. The cuisine is pan Asian and there’s a special Valentine’s offer for £70 per person.